


The Grand New Beginning

by ml101



Series: Rumbelle Gilmore Girls [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Rumbelle Secret Santa, Rumbelle Secret Santa 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 04:49:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13287345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ml101/pseuds/ml101
Summary: RSS 2017 for firebird1218 (here and on tumblr).The prompt was: Rumbelle Gilmore Girls AUSometimes it's better to speak with actions rather than words but sometimes there are people who are completely clueless that it will take something drastic to finally make things clear.Or the only way for a guy to learn she likes you back is to kiss him silly.





	The Grand New Beginning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [firebird1812](https://archiveofourown.org/users/firebird1812/gifts).



> Dear firebird1812,
> 
> So I don't remember if I mentioned that I had two stories prepared as your gift. The problem was I couldn't find the file when the gifts were due but my friend found it on his laptop and I did some quick edits and here you go. It was already finished and I didn't want to waste a good story. Happy New Year!
> 
> Your santa,  
> ml101/ wierdogal
> 
> **This takes place in a different time/universe as the other one

"I've been rambling on and on here Papa. Is there somewhere else you'd rather be?" teased Neal as his father's head shot forward and gave him an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry, Bae." replied Gold. "I'm a bit distracted—"

"Because?" prodded Neal. "Are you waiting for anyone in particular to come through the diner doors?"

Gold felt himself blush at having caught…but his son was a bright young man. Besides, it was Bae's insistence that he start dating again, with his choice of a possible step-mother being one town librarian who is due to re-open the newly renovated building tomorrow.

Speaking of…

Belle came bustling through the diner doors and quickly placed an order with Ruby. She was impatiently jumping on her feet as she waited for her order but then she turned and caught his eye.

He sheepishly smiled and waved at her and she smiled brightly at him and waved back. Ruby then offered her a cup and a brown paper bag. Gold assumed she'd make a bee-line back to the library but she walked over to their table.

"Good morning, Mr. Gold," she said then she turned to Neal. "Glad to have you back temporarily, Neal. How's college?"

"Fun. Drinking and late-night parties," teased Neal as his father glared at him. "Emma and I have sort of made a name for ourselves."

"Things never change," said Belle with a chuckle. "I'll see you both at the opening of the library tomorrow? Well more like grand new beginning since it had opened but was closed down before."

"Of course," replied Gold. "Wouldn't miss it."

The opening (well grand new beginning) was a whole day event that basically resembled a town fair if Gold was being honest. Belle had all kinds of activities prepared from poetry reading to children story time, fun games, even a movie screening at the vacant lot beside the library. To end the day, Belle even had some sort of town pot luck with food inspired by books.

"Yeah, Papa already has his special dish tomorrow," said Neal with a wink to his father. "I was thinking of creating my own version of Butterbeer."

"Hey, it's book-inspired it counts," said Belle before she could say anything more though, Ruby called her and she quickly said her farewell and rushed out.

Gold watched her go with a wistful look on his face…that was until he was brought out of it by his son snapping fingers in front of his face.

"That was different," said Neal, a wide smile on his face.

"Different?" asked Gold as he drank his tea. "How so?"

"Different from before," said Neal, his smile only widening, making Gold slightly worried.

"Before what exactly?" asked Gold, getting confused by the second.

"Before, before Papa!" exasperated Neal.

"How on earth have I frustrated you now?" said Gold, totally confused on what has annoyed his son.

"Really, Papa?" asked Neal. "You can't be that dense."

"Neal Baelfire Gold you better start making sense—"

"You and Belle were flirting," whispered Neal as to not attract the attention of everyone in the diner.

"No we weren't," defended Gold though he was sure the blush on his face contradicted that.

"Granted you've always acted like that to each other but you've evolved from longing from afar to longing with actual words and interactions," teased Neal as his father glared at him. "So what changed?"

Gold sighed. Well there was no beating around the bush any longer.

"We danced at Regina's wedding," said Gold and Neal whistled.

"Was it a fast dance, slow dance, group dance?" asked Neal quickly. "You see this is what I want to hear when I call. Not the 'I stayed at the cabin' story over and over again."

Gold ignored the jibe at his lack of social interaction but frowned at the question. "What in tarnation is a 'group dance'?"

"Never mind," said Neal shaking his head. "Slow dance? Waltz?"

"Yes it was a waltz," answered Gold which made Neal smile more.

"So?"

"So what?"

"Papa," complained Neal. "Please tell me there was more than dancing involved. I mean you danced the waltz, your bodies were basically pushed together."

"Neal, nothing happened," said Gold. "We danced. I walked her home…."

"Oh I know that look," interrupted Neal. "Spill."

"Well I asked if she wanted to look at the old books I have in the shop and she said yes…" trailed off Gold. "We've been talking quite often after that…I mean I think we had a moment when I walked her home where I thought—I don't know."

"You wanted to kiss her?" asked Neal, too excited for Gold's liking. "Papa, if you asked her to spend time with you…I'm pretty sure that counts as a date."

"It wasn't a date," began Gold. "I mean I just—"

"You ate afterwards?" asked Neal. "Like lunch or dinner?"

"Yes but—"

"My old man finally went out on a date!" said Neal, punching the air, turning heads towards their table much to Gold's dismay.

"Neal," groaned Gold but Neal was smiling to care if he was making a fool of himself.

"Sorry, Papa but I'm just happy for you," said Neal as he ate his fries and gave his father a bright smile.

"Wait so you're ok with this?" asked Gold.

"Who has been begging you to go out and have a life for the past few months?" asked Neal. "Papa, this is great. I like Belle and I'm pretty sure she has a crush on you ever since you caught her when she fell from the step ladder when she was trying to fix her window."

"But—"

"No buts Papa," said Neal. "She likes you, you like her. I don't find it weird. You have my blessing."

Gold rolled his eyes as they shifted to a different topic but Gold's thoughts would still run away from him and go to the library on the opposite side of the street.

* * *

"So I hear you're a dork," said Milah as Gold loaded her luggage into his car.

Gold groaned as Milah chuckled. "I am going to throttle Neal when we get home."

"I think it's sweet. He's trying to be your wing man," said Milah as they got her things settled and they both got into the car to drive back to Storybrooke."

"I don't need a wing man," mumbled Gold.

"But you are dating?" asked Milah and Gold couldn't glare at her so he glared at the road ahead.

"How long until Killian's ship arrives?" asked Gold. "Can't I just mail you to him?"

"Even then you won't escape this line of questioning," remarked Milah. "Neal's a stubborn man just like his father."

Gold shook his head. "Pretty sure he got that from you."

Gold and Milah were both foreign exchange students from the United Kingdom who both attended Harvard. They met there and during their graduation party…well things were hazy because of it being a drunken night which resulted in Neal.

They stayed close friends and now Milah was soon to marry a Marine Biologist named Killian Jones, who was Gold's previous client back when he was still practicing law.

"Spill already or else I'll sic Neal on you," threatened Milah. "And I'll ask him to involve Emma and then you're screwed."

"It's nothing," said Gold. "I have no idea what our son is so excited about. I just walked the town's librarian home, asked her to come look at some old books and ate dinner and lunch with her the following days."

"I swear to god you weren't this dense when we were in uni," said Milah with a chuckle which finally made Gold turn and flare at her for a split second before focusing back on the road.

"Librarian?" continued Milah. "Brunette with blue eyes? Regina owes me fifty dollars then."

"What?" demanded Gold.

"You two weren't exactly subtle," said Milah. "Regina made a bet that Belle, was it, would make the first move but I had faith in you."

"What do you mean we weren't exactly subtle?" asked Gold.

"Gold, the woman was practically undressing you with her eyes and if I hadn't known you, I'd thought you were some crazed stalker with how much you looked at her," said Milah. "Half the town wanted to lock you two in a room together."

"That's—"

"A boost of confidence," said Milah. "You better kiss her tomorrow or else Regina and I are going to make that last one come true."

* * *

"Merida do you know who that is?" asked Belle as she walked over to her friend who was serving Neal and Emma's concussion of Butterbeer.

The library's grand new beginning was a success and things were winding down with the town feast. Everyone was in attendance and Belle was glad that Merida had talked her to setting up the table on Main Street.

"Oh you weren't there when Neal introduced her," said Merida as she poured the drink into many cups. "That's Neal's mother, Milah."

"Oh," said Belle, her heart shattering a little. If she was Neal's mother then—

"Yeah, my reaction too." said Merida. "Not exactly who I pictured Gold with but she seems nice."

"They still together?" asked Belle, mentally berating herself that she should have asked Gold that particular question but she had just been too happy to be spending time with him that everything else was ignored.

"I don't know." admitted Merida. "I thought they broke up, but she's staying at the Victorian, so maybe. I could ask Ruby for you if you want."

"No its fine," said Belle, trying to sound jolly. "We all good with the remainder of the food."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure Anton and Leroy will make sure we don't have too many leftovers," answered Merida. "Neal and Emma's Butterbear is a great hit. We should ask them to make it again and have a Harry Potter library event."

Belle only nodded as Merida continued to speak about possible library projects. She couldn't help but glance the Golds way and something in her sank low when she saw Gold and Milah laugh at something Neal had said which earned him a punch on the arm from Emma.

* * *

"Hey," Belle turned to see Gold rubbing the back of his head shyly. She would have found the gesture too cute but with what she learned tonight, she thought better of it.

"Hey." replied Belle as she continued cleaning the library. The street was all clear but the inside of the library still looked like it hosted a college party. She was opening tomorrow and she needed to get things back in order.

She had told Merida to get some rest because she had supervised the dinner. She could clean up by herself. She didn't count on the man plaguing her thoughts to still be around though.

"Need any help?" offered Gold but Belle just shook her head and continued sweeping. "You okay? You look like there's something bothering you."

"You know what," began Belle as her composure fell, along with the broom she suddenly tossed aside to march over in front of Gold. "Actually, I feel pretty stupid right now."

"Why?" asked Gold, a slight tremor in his voice telling Belle that he was confused, worried and slightly scared at her sudden outburst.

"I'm not a mysterious woman, am I?" demanded Belle. "I think I've been very, very clear with my intentions."

"I'm sorry I'm not quite following," began Gold but Belle cut him off.

"You know, agreeing to the dance, the walk home, the book collection." continued Belle. "I went along with all of it. So naturally, I assumed we were on the same page, and then your wife shows up here at the library that I worked hard for—

"Wait, what wife?" asked Gold. "Are you talking about Milah?"

"No, Regina. Of course, Milah!" practically shouted Belle as she turned away and walked to pick up the broom to continue to sweep.

"You guys talked? What did she say?" asked Gold.

"No but Neal introduced her to Merida as his mother," said Belle with a sad sigh. "I was so nervous trying to find a way to move things forward with you but then I found out your wife is back in town staying at your house. Why bother with anything when you're already taken?"

"I - I'm not taken," whispered Gold. "Milah is Neal's mother but we never married. She's my best friend but we never felt that way for each other. She's marrying a previous client of mine in two weeks."

"You're not?" asked Belle, whirling around to look at him.

"And I'm not a mysterious man too," began Gold as he walked over to her. "I—I've been trying to make my intentions very clear."

"Your—"

"The wedding, the dance, the walk home, the book collection, the meals at the diner," recounted Gold. "You know the last time I went out on a date? Never. Very easy stat to remember wouldn't you say?"

Belle chuckled as Gold took the broom and let it lean on the circulation desk.

"And then when I walked you home after the wedding, there was a moment. I thought there was a moment." said Gold, his voice soft but Belle felt the uncertainty behind his words.

"There was," said Belle softly. "There was a moment."

Belle moved to erase the space between them, startling Gold.

"What are you doing?" asked Gold hesitantly, the worry and uncertainty still there but Belle heard the small ounce of hope.

"Just stand still," said Belle as she placed both her hands on his face and kissed him, Gold arms wrapping around her waist. They pull apart. "If that wasn't clear enough, I don't know what will be."

Gold chuckled but puller her for another kiss. The library wasn't the only one with a grand beginning after all.


End file.
